Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771  

ENGINEERING COLLOQUIUM 

Monday, September 30, 2002 / 3:30 PM, Building 3 Auditorium 

Dennis Smith

ABSTRACT -- NASA's Space Launch Initiative (SLI) is a long term effort to lay the technical and architectural groundwork for a new reusable launch vehicle (RLV) system. Two fundamental issues are the kind of RLV US industry could produce; and the cost of building and operating such a vehicle. The new NASA Administrator is still looking closely on how to proceed.

SPEAKER -- Mr. Smith is Manager of the Space Launch Initiative (SLI) Program and 2nd Generation RLV Program Office. He has been the Deputy Director of the Space Transportation Directorate, and Acting Associate Administrator for Space Transportation in the Aerospace Technology Enterprise. Prior to joining NASA in 1995, Mr. Smith served at OMB and was responsible for analyzing major policy and budgetary issues related to NASA and other major federal programs Prior to joining Federal service, Mr. Smith spent ten years with the Martin Marietta Corporation as a propulsion engineer, program manager and senior marketing representative. During his time in industry, Mr. Smith worked on numerous NASA and Department of Defense programs.